First Meeting
by stitchingirl
Summary: I think that there's more to the first episode of "SVU" than what we saw. I can't believe that Olivia's been in the unit for awhile and haven't come across a rape yet. Don't buy it. I think it's her first week in there, or at least her first rape cae.
1. Chapter 1

Elliot

The house was quiet and dark, save the light over the sink, as Elliot made his way inside. Glancing up the stairway, he silently listened for any sounds letting him know that someone may still be awake. Not that he really expected anybody to up at 3 a.m. Sunday...no, make that Monday morning. Slipping his shoes off, he quietly headed into the kitchen and was greeted by his wife's presence sitting at the dining table, wearing her favorite, faded-pink robe over one of his longer tee-shirts that fell just to her knees. She looked up from the newspaper that was open in front of her, with a soft smile in greeting. He just smiled back as he walked over to the kitchen table. Pulling out a chair next to Kathy, Elliot plopped heavily onto its wooden seat. Kathy silently studied her husband, noting the way that his shoulders seemed to be heavy. Just from the way that he slipped his coat off, she knew that tonight's case was especially hard for him, but also knew enough not to ask. Not that he would ever confide anything about a case to her. Sometimes she wondered if he ever confided anything to anybody. Carrying those horrific images of the victims that he saw every night around in his head. That would traumatize anybody, and no matter how strong he tried to appear, Elliot Stabler was a mere mortal man. Emotional, quick temper, dedicated. Feeling his wife's eyes on him, Elliot glanced up at her, meeting her eyes.

"Bad night?" Kathy asked softly.

"Yeah." Elliot nodded, not really ready to put to words the scene he worked for the past few hours.

The sharp pain of the oncoming headache that he'd been fighting for the past hour started to creep behind his eyes. Rubbing his head, Kathy quietly got up to retrieve a glass of water and some aspirin. Sliding the glass in front of Elliot, Kathy joined him at the table once again.

"Are you hungry? I saved you a plate."

"Not really. Look, you don't have to wait up. Go back to bed. The kids'll be up in a few hours."

Elliot glanced at Kathy, popping the two white aspirin pills in his mouth.

Kathy watched Elliot swallow the water, knowing that she had just been dismissed. Knowing that this was Elliot's way of trying to keep the horrors that he just walked away from, from creeping into his house any further than it already has. Without another word, she just nodded and gave him a small smile, before heading back upstairs.

Elliot closed his eyes, as he listened to Kathy making her way back upstairs. His eyes started to burn as he closed his eyes tighter, refusing to allow the tears to appear. He wasn't lying when he said that he wasn't hungry. How can anybody be hungry after witnessing that scene? The victim was yet another hooker, who couldn't be over seventeen-years-old. No matter how he tried, there is no way for his mind to stop morphing the face of his oldest daughter, Maureen, onto the face of that dead girl. Laying behind a couple of trash cans, discarded. Like the trash in those same aluminum trash cans. How can the world be so careless and cruel? What could possibly cause a teenage girl to turn to the streets and prostitute herself? Those were the same questions that he asked himself, when he was still at the scene. Now, three hours later, he was no closer to finding the answer. He just knew that whatever it takes, that there was no way that he would allow those same horrors to touch his family. That's why he doesn't confide in Kathy about cases. To talk about them, made them...real. And his family didn't need to know the true horrors that some people could truly do to each other. Sighing, the tension building in his shoulders made it almost a guarantee that tonight would end up being yet another sleepless night. Pushing his chair back, Elliot stood up and walked over to the fridge to grab a bottle of beer. Not a smart combination with the aspirin, but tonight he doesn't care. Sleep was not going to be a friend tonight. Or come anytime soon. Deciding against supper, he made his way to the living room and plopped down on the sofa, grabbing the TV remote. Maybe he could catch the scores of any good basketball games that he had missed. Settling on ESPN, Elliot put the remote on the sofa cushion next to him, feeling the threat of tears yet again. This time, he doesn't fight them. This time, the horrors were too much for him to fight against.

The next morning came too early and quick in Elliot's opinion. After falling asleep on the couch, he had been woken up by the sounds of the Stabler children, as they started the day with fights about lost homework, outfits that needed to be changed, who was the skunk that ate the last of the cereal. The usual school-morning rush. He had been slow to rise from the couch, half out of exhaustion from not enough rest and half from savoring the sounds of his children. It was still hard to believe that their oldest was fifteen-years-old. Damn, how time flew by. His headache from the previous night was still present and was now a dull ache behind his left eye. And to top it off, today would be the day that he was to meet his new partner. New partner. Seemed no matter how hard he fought Cragen on that little idea, the bottom line was still the same: he was getting a new partner. Now only if God would smile down on him today and not make the new guy like Cassidy. Or worse, John Munch.

Not that he had anything against Munch. But sometimes the guy with all his "conspiracy theories" was enough to drive the sanest man crazy. And Cassidy. Even six months of working in SVU, the guy still acted as clueless as the day he walked in. He was only too glad that he still had a partner at that time and even more grateful that Cragen partnered "Mr. Green" with Munch. Have fun with that one, Munch.

The only problem with this new partner was that Cragen didn't have any additional information, just a name. The name O. Benson. Well, at least that's what Cragen had _told_ him. There had been a few incidents where Cragen left out certain bits of information that he didn't think he needed to know. And knowing his new partner's name would have been good. Not that it truly mattered once he went to the precinct.

Deciding that he stalled enough, Elliot made his way towards the kitchen to join his family and start his day.

this might be a little better. He just smiled back as he walked over to the kitchen table. Pulling out a chair next to Kathy, Elliot plopped heavily onto its wooden seat. Kathy silently studied her husband.


	2. Chapter 2

Just from the way that he slipped his coat off, she knew that tonight's case was especially hard for him, but also knew enough not to ask. Not that he would ever confide anything about a case to her. Sometimes she wondered if he ever confided anything to anybody. Carrying those horrific images of the victims that he saw every night around in his head. That would traumatize anybody, and no matter how strong he tried to appear, Elliot Stabler was a mere mortal man. Emotional, quick temper, dedicated. Feeling his wife's eyes on him, Elliot glanced up at her, meeting her eyes.

"Bad night?" Kathy asked softly.

"Yeah." Elliot nodded, not really ready to put to words the scene he worked for the past few hours.

The sharp pain of the oncoming headache that he'd been fighting for the past hour started to creep behind his eyes. Rubbing his head, Kathy quietly got up to retrieve a glass of water and some aspirin. Sliding the glass in front of Elliot, Kathy joined him at the table once again.

"Are you hungry? I saved you a plate."

"Not really. Look, you don't have to wait up. Go back to bed. The kids'll be up in a few hours."

Elliot glanced at Kathy, popping the two white aspirin pills in his mouth.

Kathy watched Elliot swallow the water, knowing that she had just been dismissed. Knowing that this was Elliot's way of trying to keep the horrors that he just walked away from, from creeping into his house any further than it already has. Without another word, she just nodded and gave him a small smile, before heading back upstairs.

Elliot closed his eyes, as he listened to Kathy making her way back upstairs. His eyes started to burn as he closed his eyes tighter, refusing to allow the tears to appear. He wasn't lying when he said that he wasn't hungry. How can anybody be hungry after witnessing that scene? The victim was yet another hooker, who couldn't be over seventeen-years-old. No matter how he tried, there is no way for his mind to stop morphing the face of his oldest daughter, Maureen, onto the face of that dead girl. Laying behind a couple of trash cans, discarded. Like the trash in those same aluminum trash cans. How can the world be so careless and cruel? What could possibly cause a teenage girl to turn to the streets and prostitute herself? Those were the same questions that he asked himself, when he was still at the scene. Now, three hours later, he was no closer to finding the answer. He just knew that whatever it takes, that there was no way that he would allow those same horrors to touch his family. That's why he doesn't confide in Kathy about cases. To talk about them, made them...real. And his family didn't need to know the true horrors that some people could truly do to each other. Sighing, the tension building in his shoulders made it almost a guarantee that tonight would end up being yet another sleepless night. Pushing his chair back, Elliot stood up and walked over to the fridge to grab a bottle of beer. Not a smart combination with the aspirin, but tonight he doesn't care. Sleep was not going to be a friend tonight. Or come anytime soon. Deciding against supper, he made his way to the living room and plopped down on the sofa, grabbing the TV remote. Maybe he could catch the scores of any good basketball games that he had missed. Settling on ESPN, Elliot put the remote on the sofa cushion next to him, feeling the threat of tears yet again. This time, he doesn't fight them. This time, the horrors were too much for him to fight against.

The next morning came too early and quick in Elliot's opinion. After falling asleep on the couch, he had been woken up by the sounds of the Stabler children, as they started the day with fights about lost homework, outfits that needed to be changed, who was the skunk that ate the last of the cereal. The usual school-morning rush. He had been slow to rise from the couch, half out of exhaustion from not enough rest and half from savoring the sounds of his children. It was still hard to believe that their oldest was fifteen-years-old. Damn, how time flew by. His headache from the previous night was still present and was now a dull ache behind his left eye. And to top it off, today would be the day that he was to meet his new partner. New partner. Seemed no matter how hard he fought Cragen on that little idea, the bottom line was still the same: he was getting a new partner. Now only if God would smile down on him today and not make the new guy like Cassidy. Or worse, John Munch.

Not that he had anything against Munch. But sometimes the guy with all his "conspiracy theories" was enough to drive the sanest man crazy. And Cassidy. Even six months of working in SVU, the guy still acted as clueless as the day he walked in. He was only too glad that he still had a partner at that time and even more grateful that Cragen partnered "Mr. Green" with Munch. Have fun with that one, Munch.

The only problem with this new partner was that Cragen didn't have any additional information, just a name. The name O. Benson. Well, at least that's what Cragen had _told_ him. There had been a few incidents where Cragen left out certain bits of information that he didn't think he needed to know. And knowing his new partner's name would have been good. Not that it truly mattered once he went to the precinct.

Deciding that he stalled enough, Elliot made his way towards the kitchen to join his family and start his day.


	3. Chapter 3

Olivia

The first rays of sunshine started to creep its way past the peach-colored blinds of the still-darkened bedroom. The lone figure remained laying on the bed, still wrapped up in the thin, yellow sheet refusing to budge. With a soft sigh, one thing came to Olivia's mind: Monday morning had arrived.

As the sunlight continued its invasion into the bedroom, Olivia silently watched as the rays begun to make different designs across the white ceiling. Her eyes then fell onto the small, purple gift bag that was still perched on top of her dresser.

Inside the gift bag was a small, green teddy bear with the words "Good Luck" stitched in gold across the bottom of each foot. It had been the last of her farewell presents from her mentor, Karen Smythe.

Olivia could still remember the day that she had first met the woman who would later go on to become her mentor and then one of her closest friends. It had actually been with Karen's encouragement that she had actually taken her Detective's testing. Both women knew that Olivia would pass with flying colors. But she had to admit that a part of her really didn't want to advance.

But this was what she was working for. Right? To go into the Special Victims Unit. Olivia knew the moment she first heard the words "SVU", that was what she was meant to do. Karen had always told her how great she thought Olivia would be in the unit. How she seemed to have such a knack for talking with victims of rape or child abuse.

It was shortly after partnering with Karen that Olivia had explained to her mentor the exact reason she had existed. It still took Olivia by surprise how it sometimes still had hurt to discuss her mother's rape, while growing up with the knowledge that she had been a product of that assault.

To her credit, Karen had barely blinked at Olivia's admission. Instead, claiming that was the reason behind Olivia's talent for talking with the victims and their families.

That had also been about the time that Karen had also mentioned of the Special Victims Unit and what cases the unit handled.

Olivia had first started thinking that maybe Karen was right. She did seem to have better results with talking to victims than her male counterparts. But she always believed that the victims just hadn't been too comfortable openly discussing the full details of their worst night with another man. Lumping the police officers' gender in with their attacker. How could a _man_ possibly understand the horror of someone raping them? Or understand that by filing charges on their husband that it would mean that the man would be arrested and leave her and their kids alone with no means of supporting themselves?

No _man _could possibly understand that. That had been when Olivia would come in. Talk to the victims. Try to get them to understand that by filing the charges that they had a chance to help their children get a better life.

Sometimes just talking helped. Other times, it was just too much for the women. They would scream that the police had been trying to confuse them, refusing to believe for a moment that someone was willing to give them help. They had stopped believing in "knights in shining armor" years ago.

The sound of the intruding alarm clock snapped Olivia back to the present. She resisted the urge to pulling the sheet over her head and ignoring the buzzing. It wasn't too long before the constant buzzing started grating on her nerves. Why couldn't they come up with a pleasant sounding instead of the normal racket of buzzing?

Olivia flipped the sheet off her, silently cursing the second intrusion as she made her towards the dresser. She shut off the alarm and glanced at her reflection.

She still looked like the same old Olivia Benson. The same soft, chocolate-brown eyes peered back at her. Just a little less innocence behind them. Witnessing some of the city's true human depravity for the past five years, it was enough to knock the innocence out of anybody's eyes.

Her skin still had the same olive tinge to it. She always had wondered about her coloring. Her mother had been dark and seemed to pass those same traits to her only child. But had her father passed anything to her?

No. She refused to allow those thoughts to fill her thoughts. She had made peace with the reason of her existence. Now would not be the time for her inner demons to resurface. Now would be her chance to make her mark on the world. To help those lives who would be changed forever by the ugliness that seemed to prevail so much in this city. The chance to help the victims more than just by simply passing them thin business cards for Victim Services.

Today would the day that she would be Detective Olivia Benson...Special Victims Unit.


	4. Chapter 4

The Meeting

It was promising to be yet another warm New York summer day. The air-conditioning in the captain's office seemed to be one of those ancient ones that either blew out too much air or not enough. And today seemed to be when it hadn't been blowing enough. For the past five minutes, Olivia was sitting in the small wooden chair in front of her new commanding officer's desk, waiting patiently while he finished up his phone call that had interrupted them. With her captain detained for a few minutes, it gave Olivia the perfect chance to study her new captain. Cragen was a slightly older, balding man. He also seemed to have a penchant for strawberry Twizzlers that he kept in a container on the corner of his desk. He almost had a fatherly impression about him, but yet Olivia got the impression that he wasn't the type to back down or refuse to let those know who was in charge.

"I'm sorry, Detective," Cragen smiled at Olivia, hanging up the phone. "I was waiting for news on a case and it just came in. Now, while we're waiting for your partner to show up. Let's talk about the unit."

Olivia listened as the captain started going into detail about the exact nature of the cases that the Special Victims Unit handled. Anywhere from rapes to sexual assaults to kidnappings and any violence against children.

Her partner wasn't there yet? Did that mean that she wasn't present today or that that she wasn't there at the moment? All sort of faces started to flood Olivia's mind as to how her partner would look like, as she continued to listen to Cragen talking. Would the two women like each other? What if her new partner wasn't a women?

That started a new whole line of faces to start flashing in her mind. She had never really worked with anyone outside of Karen, but that didn't mean that she was against working with a man as a partner...right?

A strong knock on the closed door behind Olivia snapped her back to the present. Cragen had just looked up and then waved to whoever was at the door to come in.

"You wanted to see me?" A deep man's voice asked.

Olivia remained looking forward, but there was just something about the voice that almost gave her chills. Was it possible to get chills just from a voice?

"Stabler, I'd like you to meet your new partner. This is Olivia Benson. Olivia, meet Elliot Stabler." Cragen introduced the two, as Olivia stood up to meet her new partner.

Elliot just knew that surprise was etched on his face. O. Benson was a woman?! Olivia Benson was his partner? Oh, dear God.

"Nice meeting you." Elliot held out his hand, proud of himself for stopping surprise to come out in his voice.

"You, too." Was the only thing that Olivia could say, as she shook his hand.

Olivia could have sworn that she felt a jolt of electricity when they shook hands. Or maybe it was the cobalt eyes that seemed to look into her very soul. Oh, wow. She quickly pulled her hand away and then glanced back at her captain. Just anywhere to avoid looking into those eyes.

Elliot was having his own private inner battles about the woman standing before him. The first thing that he noticed had been her eyes. Just how dark they seemed. Beautiful and warm. Beautiful and warm? What the hell...? When Olivia had smiled at him, Elliot could feel his heart starting to race. Oh, dear God. That was it. He was going to go to Hell. Beautiful and warm eyes and a racing heart rate? Oh yeah, those were classic signs of being Hell bound.

"Why don't you show your new partner to her desk, Elliot? I'm sure you two have work to do that doesn't include standing in my office." Cragen joked, but there was a seriousness underlying in the tone.

For a split second, Cragen started to wonder if he maybe he shouldn't have paired the two of them together. There had been an ulterior motive for pairing Elliot with a woman. Elliot's last partner had finally retired to Florida and it had been well-known around the precinct about Elliot's temper. Maybe if he had been paired with a woman, it would be an incentive to try to keep his temper in check. Olivia Benson seemed to be the perfect opportunity to test that theory.

"Uh...before we start, there's something that I think you both should know", Olivia stepped in front of Elliot to stop him from opening the still-closed office door.

Cragen sat back against his chair, already having a feeling what she would say. Most women weren't too comfortable with the idea of working in close proximity of a man. Much less having to rely on one to watch their backs.

Elliot could feel his temper starting to rise. Not five minutes on the job and she's already going to say that she doesn't want to work with him? Was he cursed? Okay, maybe he needed to get a better handle on his temper. God knew that Kathy constantly told him that, but who was this woman to say--

"My mother was raped. And I'm a product of that assault. I just wanted to let you both know that my past does not and will not have any bearing on how I work my cases." Olivia stated matter-of-factly, glancing at both men.

"Oh...Well...Of course it won't, Detective." Cragen stammered, not sure what the proper response was.

"Good. And please call me Olivia." Olivia smiled at her captain, then walked out of the office.

Raped? Did she say that she was a product of that rape? Oh, dear God. Elliot just watched Olivia walking out of the office, feeling unable to move or speak.

"Elliot, make sure you tell her that no one else will hear that revelation unless _she_ tells them. I won't have office gossips have a field day with that woman."

Cragen instructs Elliot, who was still feeling pinpointed to the floor.

Elliot just nodded, not trusting his voice. He then made his way towards his desk and the still-waiting Olivia. He then found Olivia standing off to one side, silently watching the chaos in the bullpen. Olivia turned to him and smiled, as Elliot gently put one hand on the small of her back to lead her in the direction of their desks.

"Um...Cragen wanted me to let you know that what...your se--..." Elliot stammered, not really sure how to tell her.

"Thanks. I just thought that you both should know. But, thank you. I didn't think that either of you would go spouting the news from the rooftop." Olivia chuckled.

Elliot then sat down at his cluttered desk, and nodded at the cleaned off one that was across from him that would Olivia's desk. He watched as she sat down, opening the last drawer to put her purse inside. Damn. His head was still swimming from the fact that his partner was a woman. But mainly from Olivia's news. And how she just simply blurted the fact as if she would have said that today was Monday.

Olivia could tell that Elliot was shaken up. Wait? How could she tell? She had just met him. But when they looked at each other.... No. Stop that, Olivia. He is your partner.

Taking a deep breath, Olivia glanced across her desk and noticed that Elliot was staring at her. Oh yeah...that look definitely is one that shouts that I shook him up.

"Um...Well, I guess I should tell you about myself, huh? Just so that I don't seem like too much of a stranger." Olivia smiled nervously.

"Sure. Whatever you want to tell me." Elliot said in a low tone.

Oh boy. He's freaking out.

"Well, I've lived here all my life. It was just my mom and I. Um...I don't have a boyfriend. I've never been married." Olivia shrugged, not really sure what to add.

"Well, let's see. I live in Queens with my wife and our four kids. My last partner retired to Florida a couple of weeks ago. I don't really handle change too well, just to give you a warning. I never had a female partner before--"

"Is that going to be a problem?" Olivia interrupted, watching Elliot.

"I wouldn't think so. Unless you think you might have problems with working around someone who has anger issues?" Elliot answered. Deciding to let her know right now how much trouble he could be.

Anger issues? After living with an alcoholic mother? Olivia seriously wanted to tell him. But she knew now would not be the time to reveal too much of her sordid past.

"I think I can handle a few temper tantrums." Olivia chuckled.

"Well, don't tell me that I never warned you." Elliot winked playfully.

Olivia felt her heart start racing when Elliot winked at her. Okay. She can do this. He may have beautiful eyes. And a heart racing smile. And a very sexy 5 o'clock shadow. But he was now her partner. The person who would have her back.

Elliot believed that his heart hadn't stopped racing since he first met her in Cragen's office. But when she smiled at him and even when she chuckled, his heart started racing faster. Was this how a heart attack felt?

There was just something about her that told him that things were not going to be the same anymore. He just hoped that he would survive those changes.


	5. Chapter 5

Kathy

Kathy breathed a sigh of relief as Elliot's car pulled into the driveway. Another night that she could thank God for watching over him, as he worked late into the night. It had been nearly three a.m. and she had spent the last few hours patiently waiting Elliot, hoping that the phone wouldn't ring that would bring news of him getting shot..or worse. A few minutes later, Elliot walked in from the back door, carrying his jacket over his arm. She smiled as his eyes spotted her sitting on the couch, wrapped up in an afghan. He just smiled in return, but made no move to greet her. She convinced herself that he had been exhausted, refusing to allow hurt to swallow her up.

"What are you doing up? You should be sleeping." Elliot asked, walking into the living room and plopping in the chair across from her.

"I couldn't sleep. I wanted to wait for you." Kathy answered.

Elliot had closed his eyes and laid his head back against the back of the chair. Damn, he was tired. For the past two hours, he had been thinking of his warm bed. Olivia had actually had to snap her fingers a couple of times to get his attention back.

"Are you hungry? I could warm up your plate."

Funny how that question seemed to be uttered so frequently lately.

"No, I'm fine. Olivia and I grabbed something to eat earlier."

And there it was. The elephant had finally found its way back inside. When Elliot had first mentioned that his new partner was a woman, Kathy had to admit that she had been jealous. Now, a week later, those same feelings haven't gone away. Maybe it was petty to be jealous about a woman who she had never even laid eyes on. Olivia probably turned out to be just an older woman who had graying hair and wore too much make-up. Not that Elliot had been forthcoming with any descriptions about his partner.

"How is she doing? Olivia, I mean." Kathy was surprised to hear the words come out of her mouth. Did she really care how the woman had been doing?

"Fine." Elliot answered, eyes still closed and head laid back.

Fine. That had been Elliot's only reply. One word. One syllable. But that one word, one syllable managed to hold a world of meaning behind it. Once again, Kathy wondered about Olivia. Did Elliot answer her questions in one word, too? Did they even talk? What did they talk about?

Damn him! Why was he able to talk to some woman that he had met just a week before, but couldn't manage to answer his wife's question in anything but one word syllables? Kathy closed her own eyes briefly as she fought against the anger that started building in her chest.

"You're tired. Why don't you go ahead and head back to bed? I'll be up shortly." Elliot's soft voice prompted her open her eyes.

Go back to bed? Had he not heard her when she had said that she hadn't been to bed? That she had purposely waited up for him? And now he had simply dismissed her? Like she had been a child that needed to be told what to do?

Without another word between them, Kathy unwrapped herself from the afghan and stood up. Elliot still had made no move from the chair, with his eyes closed again. She then understood that he had told her to go to bed for himself. He planned on spending yet another night on the couch.

Damn it.


End file.
